The Everything Family Christmas Book (17 page)

The 1980s marked the debut of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, whose reign would extend well into the next decade (and who are even now making a comeback attempt). Radioactive turtles may have seemed an implausible idea for a toy, game, film, and video juggernaut, but young boys had an insatiable appetite for the heroes.

Other popular toys from the 1980s included the talking Pee-Wee Herman doll, assorted Smurf paraphernalia, the Li’l Miss Makeup doll, and, for younger kids, the Fisher-Price tape recorder. For adults, top gifts of the era included exercise bikes, ice cream makers, Trivial Pursuit and Pictionary games, camcorders, VCRs, and, toward the end of the decade, laptop computers.

As the 1990s began, yet another television-spawned merchandising bonanza enjoyed remarkable popularity, but this time the innocence of Howdy Doody was nowhere to be found. Bart Simpson, who would probably do something quite rude to Howdy if he could get within a yard of him, became one of the biggest television stars in the country. Bart and his antiutopian world, complete with odd relatives, served as a weekly vehicle for biting social satire and remarks likely to embarrass teachers when repeated in class. Kids couldn’t get enough of him, and cash registers rang up huge sales for his books, clothes, and other products during the holidays.

The 1980s success of high-tech toys carried over into the 1990s. Yet ironically, and despite white-hot sales of things like Power Rangers sets, the toys that have remained popular through decades of trends are the ones that don’t require batteries, plugs, headphones, or TV tie-ins—just imagination, the desire for fun, and maybe a few friends.

A New Century Dawns

The close of the twentieth century saw Beanie Babies and Tickle Me Elmo enjoying their time in the spotlight, but technology also remained strong: The transition was made from videos to DVDs and from portable CD players to digital audio players such as the Apple iPod and the MP3 player. For younger children, computer games often sported an educational factor, such as the LeapPad series of educational handheld games. For older children, computer simulation games have become ever-more sophisticated.

Toys based on movie and cartoon characters remain very popular, from Buzz Lightyear to Spiderman; however, the chances are good that children will, for the foreseeable future, wake up Christmas morning and find that Santa has left them one or two things that he left for their parents many years ago. As the twenty-first century unfolds, dolls, board games, building blocks, stuffed animals, Play Doh, Legos, crayons, and bicycles are sure to make that journey, too.

Great Gift Ideas

As Christmas draws near each year, it can be a challenge to come up with gift ideas for the hard-to-buy-for people on your list. Careful listening can provide hints: Keeping track of people’s interests and wishes in a small notebook or computer file will automatically create a list of choices. You can even note items such as their favorite colors or the décor scheme in their home to help you when you’re out shopping.

Shopping catalogs and, increasingly, the Internet are great sources for gift ideas. A few minutes spent browsing from the comfort of your own home can often save hours in the mall. Here are a few additional suggestions to kick start your gift list.

You say you’re in trouble? It’s Christmas Eve and you’ve forgotten someone? Don’t panic. Buy a beautiful Christmas card and tuck a gift card inside for the recipient’s favorite store. Many drugstores and supermarkets now have “giftcard malls,” where you can select from a variety of gift cards loaded with a preset spending limit for other retail outlets.

Awesome Autos

If you have a gearhead that you’re buying for, find out what their top auto picks are—limited-edition small-scale models of those vehicles may be a welcome gift at Christmas. For do-it-yourself types, check whether there are new tools that they need or whether they have a rolling platform that makes it so much easier to slide under vehicles when working on them. Even high-end seat covers or floor mats might be just the ticket.

For the Book Lover

There’s no end to gift ideas for those who love books. A subscription to the
New York Times Literary Supplement
will help them keep up with all of the latest reviews. A beautiful blank-page notebook can be a place to write up their own book reviews or even jot down bon mots from the books they’re currently reading. Gorgeous bookmarks don’t cost very much, but will prove a lovely reminder of you each time a book is opened. And making a gift of the latest bestseller while it’s still in hardcover can be a real treat.

Fashionista File

While it’s definitely a challenge to buy clothes, jewelry, or accessories for those who are into fashion (unless you’re a fashionista, too), there are other options. Try a beautiful, illustration-filled book that describes the history of fashion or focuses on a particular designer’s work. And gift certificates or gift cards to a favorite store, especially if it’s usually out of the recipient’s budget range, will always be a worthy option. Booking a wardrobe or makeup makeover—if it’s something that the recipient really wants—can leave a lasting (and positive) legacy.

In the Garden

Even when many parts of the country are covered in snow, gardeners don’t forget that blooms will appear with spring’s milder weather. Reward their time outside with pretty and practical gardening gloves to protect their hands and soap and moisturizer sets designed to soothe and rejuvenate. Kneeling mats, ergonomically designed garden tools, and gift certificates for local nurseries (to be used as soon as planting can be carried out) are also good ideas, as are blank journals in which to chart the growth of the garden each year.

Kitchen Helpers

More people are spending quality time in the kitchen these days, experimenting with recipes that span the globe. As a result, there are kitchen gadgets galore to thrill the budding chef on your list, from stainless steel garlic presses to silicone heat- and stain-resistant utensils. Consider giving a blank book, in which your recipient can enter favorite recipes, or even gather some family favorites to give to them. Cooking lessons or tickets for local wine tastings might also be very welcome under the tree.

Movie Magic

Try the DVD of
Citizen Kane
(considered one of the greatest American films of all time), perhaps even packaged with
Plan Nine from Outer Space
(considered one of the worst American films of all time). Gift certificates for movie-rental outlets or local movie theaters can give a gift that lasts all year long: Try packaging the gift with bags of microwave popcorn or movie-star-style sunglasses, just for fun!

The Great Outdoors

If you’re shopping for someone who loves the outdoors, just head to the nearest store (online or in person) that specializes in their activity of choice, whether it’s camping, hiking, or fishing. You’ll find plenty of items, large and small, to fill their stockings: Stuff bags are great for holding all kinds of gear; hiking poles (that look like ski poles) make walking on uneven surfaces easier; and specialized clothing (such as padded socks that wick moisture away from the foot) can make their time outdoors more enjoyable.

Sports Nuts

Tickets to see a favorite sports team play will score you big points, especially if they’re packaged with sports memorabilia or merchandise from that team. A program from a particularly important game, perhaps framed and signed, might be a big win, too. Also try books about particular teams or sports, or items that will make time in stadiums or arenas more comfortable, such as seat cushions and binoculars.

The Traveler

You won’t go wrong with travel books—guidebooks for their next trip, coffee-table books about a favorite destination, or literary travel accounts (Bill Bryson is a great author for humorous approaches to travel). Blank journals for recipients to keep track of their own vacations are also fun, as are travel gadgets such as phrase books, electronic translators, digital audio players, electrical converters and adapters, luggage straps, neck pillows, and map/passport holders
^.

Gifts That Keep On Giving

For the person who has everything, or the gift giver who wants a gift that keeps on giving, there are any number of charitable or nonprofit organizations to choose from. You can adopt an animal from a zoo or a wildlife association, for example, or contribute to building funds, homeless shelters, health research, arts foundations, and so much more in the gift recipient’s name. Such gifts often include tickets to fundraising events or discounts on museum gift-shop merchandise, which serve as ways to extend the gift even further. And they’re a wonderful way to recognize the spirit of the Christmas season.

6
The Stories of Christmas

T
he classic Christmas tales that you’ll find in this chapter highlight the season’s most wonderful qualities: faith, hope, generosity, and the warmth of the human spirit. Some are short, others are longer, but all of them would make ideal read-aloud stories to share with your family, whether you tackle a few pages a day, or an entire story. Make some hot chocolate, tuck yourselves into the sofa, and choose your favorite story to begin.

The Little Women’s Christmas

Louisa May Alcott

Published in 1868 and set in New England during the Civil War, Little Women was an instant success, particularly with female readers. “The Little Women’s Christmas” provides excerpts from the book’s first two chapters: “Playing Pilgrims” and “A Merry Christmas,” in which the little women remind us that even a penniless Christmas can be cause for celebration—if it is filled with selfless generosity, love, and faith.

“Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents,” grumbled Jo, lying on the rug.

“It’s so dreadful to be poor!” sighed Meg, looking down at her old dress.

“I don’t think it’s fair for some girls to have lots of pretty things, and other girls nothing at all,” added little Amy, with an injured sniff.

“We’ve got father, and mother, and each other, anyhow,” said Beth, contentedly, from her corner.

The four young faces on which the firelight shone brightened at the cheerful words, but darkened again as Jo said sadly, “We haven’t got father, and shall not have him for a long time.” She didn’t say “perhaps never,” but each silently added it, thinking of father far away, where the fighting was.

Nobody spoke for a minute; then Meg said in an altered tone, “You know the reason mother proposed not having any presents this Christmas was because it’s going to be a hard winter for every one; and she thinks we ought not to spend money for pleasure, when our men are suffering so in the army. We can’t do much, but we can make our little sacrifices, and ought to do it gladly. But I am afraid I don’t,” and Meg shook her head, as she thought regretfully of all the pretty things she wanted.